Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Fall 2013 YA Scavenger Hunt

Welcome to the fall 2013 YA Scavenger Hunt!

I'm Sarah Beth Durst, your host for this leg of the hunt. I'm the author of 7 fantasy novels for teens. *points to sidebar and to top of blog* I have ridiculously curly hair and am afraid of skunks. And my favorite number is the answer to life, the universe, and everything. I'm thrilled to be participating in the hunt this year!

The YA Scavenger Hunt is a tri-annual event started by author Colleen Houck. This year, 60 YA authors are participating (including yours truly!). On this hunt, you will have access to exclusive bonus material from each of the participating authors, plus every author will also include their favorite number. (If you missed the hint above, then see the bottom of this post for mine.) Add up all the secret numbers, and you can enter for the grand prize: one signed book from each author in a team! But play fast: this contest will only be online for 72 hours!

You can start right here, or you can go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt, including links to all the authors participating. This year, there are THREE contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the GOLD TEAM -- but there is also a red team and a blue team for a chance to win a whole different set of signed books!

SCAVENGER HUNT RULES

Directions: Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the gold team, and then add them up.

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, Oct 6th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

SCAVENGER HUNT AUTHOR MELISSA WEST

Today, I am hosting Melissa West on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt! Welcome, Melissa! *waves* So happy to have you here!

Melissa lives in a suburb of Atlanta, GA with her husband and daughters. She pretends to like yoga, actually likes shoes, and could not live without coffee. Her writing heroes include greats like Jane Austen and Madeleine L'Engle.

She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and an M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.

ABOUT HOVER BY MELISSA WEST

On Earth, seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander was taught to never peek, but if she hopes to survive life on her new planet, Loge, her eyes must never shut. Because Zeus will do anything to save the Ancients from their dying planet, and he has a plan.

Thousands of humans crossed over to Loge after a poisonous neurotoxin released into Earth’s atmosphere, nearly killing them. They sought refuge in hopes of finding a new life, but what they became were slaves, built to wage war against their home planet. That is, unless Ari and Jackson can stop them. But on Loge, nothing is as it seems…and no one can be trusted.

And now, for your reading pleasure, a peek at a deleted scene from HOVER:

Jackson removes his jacket and drapes it around his chair, exposing a fitted black T-shirt that shows off the contours of his chest. I have no idea how hard I'm staring until he laughs easily, and my eyes drift up to find him watching me. He reaches for my hand. "Let's dance."

He leads me through the crowd, and I follow without hesitation, which I know must be whatever I just drank. Jackson takes us to the center of the crowd so we’re surrounded on all sides. The song switches and though the music is still upbeat, it’s slower, more intimate. He pulls me to him, so close our bodies connect from chest to thigh, our faces inches apart.

He rests his head next to my ear and holds one of my hands close to his chest. My eyes close as we move, lost to everyone around us, lost to the worry that wrecks my mind. All I feel is Jackson. All I can think about is Jackson…and how he is nowhere near close enough. His warm breath dances down my neck, causing a shudder to move through me, and before I can stop myself I release a small sigh. It feels like forever since I've let myself go around him. I lean further into him, wanting to close any distance between us. He continues to guide our bodies, and I know we're the only ones dancing so slowly.

"Ari..."

I shake my head. "Don't. Not now."

He pulls me closer still, his breath warm on my neck, his lips close, and I want more than anything for him to kiss me, to feel his full lips envelop mine. His draws a breath and blows out slowly, sending a cool breeze over my skin. And it’s too much. I tilt my head toward him, knowing I'm pushing this further than I'm ready to go. His lips graze over my neck, as soft as an afterthought, and my chest begins to burn with passion. I grip him tighter, my free hand smoothing over his forearm and up his bicep, before slipping into his hair. He pulls away to look at me, his eyes searching mine for answers, permission, something, but we are way past asking. Without another thought, I rise onto my toes, my mouth crushing into his.

CONTINUE THE HUNT

Don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books (including my book Conjured, HOVER by Melissa West, and many more! To enter, you need to know my favorite number*. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the gold team and you'll have the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

And don't forget to enter the additional giveaway that I'm hosting here. Enter to win a signed copy of CONJURED below! (US mailing addresses only)

To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author, Jessica Brody!

* When I was in fifth grade, a babysitter told me that I wasn't old enough to read and appreciate the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. So of course I read it. Ever since, my favorite number has been 42. So that's my secret number for the YA Scavenger Hunt. Good luck!

** On a related note, that same babysitter also told me I wasn't old enough for Little Women, and she was right. Hated that book in fifth grade. Loved it later, but in fifth grade... spoiler alert... I was so so so upset about Beth and that Amy married Laurie. (Now I think Jo totally dodged a bullet. Still sad re Beth.)

About Me

I'm the author of eleven fantasy novels for adults, teens, and kids, including DRINK SLAY LOVE, the basis for the upcoming TV movie of the same name, airing on Lifetime in 2017. Several of these have been finalists for the Mythopoeic Award and the Andre Norton Award, and VESSEL won the Mythopoeic Award in 2013. My latest book for adults is an epic fantasy called THE QUEEN OF BLOOD, available now from Harper Voyager. I'm very, very, very excited about this.

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The Queen of Blood

Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow... But these are not sweet, frolicking nature sprites from a pastoral tale. The spirits that reside within this land want to kill all humans, the way white blood cells want to kill a virus. Only a few women have the power to command and control the spirits. These women become queens -- or die trying.
Available now from
Harper Voyager.
Read the first two chapters.Order now!

"A truly wonderful fantasy story. Filled with fresh ideas and excitement, told with verve and heart." -- Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of the Shannara series

"Thrilling, heartrending, enchanting, absolutely un-put-down-able!" -- Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author of the Tortall series

The Girl Who Could Not Dream

The story of a girl whose family owns a secret dream shop where they buy, bottle, and sell dreams, and the adventure that she and her best friend -- a loyal and cupcake-loving monster named Monster -- go on when someone starts kidnapping dreamers.
Available now from
HMH / Clarion Books.
Read the first two chapters.Order now!

"Boy, do readers have a treat in store for them! Funny, scary, and endlessly inventive, this is the kind of book I would have adored as a kid." -- Bruce Coville, author of Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher

"A perfect combination of adventure, humor, and pure imagination!" -- Jessica Day George, New York Times bestselling author of the Tuesdays at the Castle series

"A twisted circus of a book, completely freaky and delicious at the same time. It's a thriller, a fairy tale nightmare, and a romance all in one, unlike anything else and impossible to predict. I could not stop reading!" --
Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone series

"Durst combines the particular terrors of memory loss and icy bureaucracy with the colorful horrors of carnivalesque murder, killer sleight-of-hand, and a creepy, terrible truth about Eve's very being. Disorientation, curiosity, and fear course through the story, offering tight suspense and satisfying mystification even up to the last pages. An unusual blend of magical worlds, psychological thriller, and teen romance." --
Horn Book

"Combining a sense of humor with the dark appeal of supernatural romance, this book is funny, scary and thought provoking all at once. Even jaded fans of the supernatural will find fun in this one." --
Kirkus Reviews

"Having her way with the conventions of the genre, Durst crafts a fresh, modern, and humorous twist on the vampire novel. Lively characters and a sweet romance are icing on the cake." --
Publishers Weekly

Enchanted Ivy

A story about getting into college. You know, taking the campus tour, talking to the gargoyles, flirting with the were-tigers, riding the dragons... While visiting the campus of Princeton University, 16-year-old Lily discovers a secret gate to a magical realm and must race against time to save herself, her world, and any hope she has of college admission.
Available now from
Simon & Schuster / Margaret K. McElderry Books.
Read the first chapter.Order now!

"ICE is a beautiful and shivery tale of sacrifice and love. Highly recommended, and just in time for the winter season." -- Becca Fitzpatrick, author of
Hush, Hush

Out of the Wild

Join Julie on a magical road trip across America. A flying bathmat, a very drowsy princess, a fire- breathing dragon, and several
thousand magic beanstalks... Julie's world, our world, will never be the same again. A sequel to Into the Wild, available now from
Penguin Young Readers /
Razorbill.
Read the first chapter.Order now!

"An enchanting romp full of adventure, humor and cleverness!" --
Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author of The Spiderwick Chronicles and Tithe

"An amazing, wild ride with very high stakes, and the fate of humans and fairytale people alike on the shoulders of one determined girl.
This is even better than the first book!" --
Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author of Terrier (Beka Cooper) and The Will of the Empress

"This is one of those rare occasions when the sequel is as good as the first book, if not better. Though, in my estimation, they make two
halves of one story, and what a wonderfully entertaining story it is." -- Charles de Lint, author of
The Blue Girl and Widdershins

"Head-spinning fun! Any book that mixes fire breathing dragons and Elvis Presley is a rare treat." --
Michael Buckley, New York Times bestselling author of The Sisters Grimm series

"INTO THE WILD is VERY cool, with a unique look at the great fairytale characters. I couldn't put it down
until I knew how this brave, extraordinary girl could face such powerful magic!" --
Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author of Terrier (Beka Cooper) and The Will of the Empress

"Sarah Beth Durst's INTO THE WILD is fabulous in the oldest, truest, and best sense of the word, harking
back to fables, wonder, and magic unleashed. It's bold, sassy, and utterly engaging. I can't wait to see
what she does next!" -- Bruce Coville, author of
The Unicorn Chronicles and Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher

"INTO THE WILD's fairy-tale characters are fascinating, and Julie is everything one could want in a heroine
-- she's intelligent, practical, determined and brave; at once more ordinary and more extraordinary than she
herself thinks she is. I'll be keeping an eye out for more work from Sarah Beth Durst." --
Patricia C. Wrede, author of The Enchanted Forest Chronicles